1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiautomatic slide handguns (referred to herein as simply semiautomatic handguns).
2. Prior Art
New semiautomatic handguns must have what is referred to as a loaded chamber indicator. A loaded chamber indicator is a safety device. It is usually a small button that pops out to indicate the presence of a round in the chamber. By way of example, on the Beretta 90two, the loaded chamber indicator is a small red tab (extractor) that protrudes further from the slide when a round is in the chamber. The tab is located on the right side of the pistol's slide, near the cartridge chamber, and can be both seen and felt, allowing the user to check the chamber at night by feel or during the day by checking for the increased protrusion of the red tab.
On Glock semiautomatic handguns, the loaded chamber indicator also extends out the side of the slide when a cartridge is in the chamber. Commonly, the loaded chamber indicator of the prior art is a red button on the empty cartridge extractor, extending outward when the front of the extractor does not move substantially inward because of its encountering a casing of a loaded cartridge in the chamber.